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Martian meteorite found in the Sahara is 4.1 billion years old
Reuters • • general
Key Points:
- The meteorite Teghaza 001, found in 2022 in Mali's Sahara, formed in the Martian crust at least 4.1 billion years ago, making it possibly the oldest known Martian meteorite on Earth.
- Its composition reveals evidence of liquid water on early Mars, supporting the idea that the planet once had conditions potentially conducive to microbial life.
- The meteorite's chemistry indicates it formed from magma in Mars' mantle and interacted with water during slow cooling in the subsurface, reflecting a warmer, wetter Martian environment in its early history.
- Isotope analysis shows water percolated into Mars' deeper crust over 4.1 billion years ago, suggesting early Mars had a thick atmosphere and habitable conditions that declined over time.
- Teghaza 001 likely originated from Mars' southern highlands, was ejected by an impact, traveled through space, and eventually landed on Earth, providing valuable insights complementary to Mars exploration missions.
